Comprehensive Family Law Services in Georgetown

The Law Office of Ben Carrasco provides full-service representation for families in Georgetown and throughout Williamson County. Whether your case involves divorce, child custody, property division, or financial support, Ben offers legal strategies designed to protect your rights and secure the best possible outcome.

Divorce Representation

Divorce in Texas can be either uncontested or contested.

• Uncontested divorce occurs when spouses agree on all issues, such as custody, property, and support. This path is typically faster and less costly.
  
• Contested divorce, however, involves disputes that must be resolved in court. These cases require strong advocacy, particularly when children or significant assets are involved. 
  

For families with substantial assets, a high-asset divorce demands careful handling. Business ownership, professional practices, and retirement accounts require valuation and protection strategies. Ben’s experience as a high-net-worth divorce lawyer equips him to manage complex financial cases with precision.

Divorce does not always need to end in a courtroom battle. Options such as mediation can help spouses reach agreements outside of the litigation process. However, when litigation is unavoidable, Ben’s reputation for meticulous preparation makes him the most authoritative divorce attorney in Georgetown, TX.

Child Custody & Visitation

Texas law applies the “best interests of the child” standard when deciding custody (also known as conservatorship). Courts typically prefer joint custody arrangements so that children maintain relationships with both parents, but sole custody may be awarded when circumstances warrant it.

Parents may also seek modifications of custody orders if significant changes occur, such as relocation or a shift in a child’s needs. With his extensive experience as a Georgetown child custody attorney, Ben Carrasco helps parents protect their rights while prioritizing their children’s well-being.

Child Support Cases

Under the Texas Family Code, child support is calculated based on a parent’s income and the number of children. Courts may adjust support for special needs or unique financial circumstances.

When a parent fails to meet their obligation, courts can enforce payment through wage garnishment or other penalties. Likewise, parents can request modifications if income or family circumstances change. Ben assists with both enforcement and modifications, offering trusted guidance as a child support lawyer.

Property Division

Because Texas is a community property state, most property acquired during marriage belongs to both spouses. Dividing assets fairly — including real estate, retirement accounts, investments, and business interests — requires thorough preparation.

Disputes often arise over hidden assets or valuation disagreements. With extensive experience in complex divorces, Ben helps clients safeguard their financial interests and achieve fair distribution of marital property.

Spousal Support

Spousal maintenance is not automatic in Texas. Courts consider eligibility based on factors such as:

• Duration of the marriage
• Financial resources of each spouse
• Contributions to the marriage (including homemaking)
• Instances of family violence

Support may be modified or terminated if circumstances change. As an experienced alimony lawyer, Ben helps clients pursue or defend against spousal maintenance claims, ensuring fairness in post-divorce financial arrangements.

Adoptions

Adoption allows families to provide stability, permanency, and legal security for children who need a safe home. More than 28,000 children are living in foster care in Texas, and around 1,000 children age out of the system every year. These numbers are a reminder of the important role that adoption plays in transforming the lives of both prospective parents and children. 

Adoptions can take several forms, including private adoptions, foster-to-adopt placement, stepparent adoptions, and adoptions of relatives. Each path comes with unique legal requirements, timelines, and evidentiary standards. The courts play an important role in confirming that adoption serves the child’s best interests and that all prior parental rights have been properly terminated or relinquished. 

The adoption process involves background checks, home studies, court hearings, and detailed documentation. Any missing paperwork, procedural errors, or failure to meet deadlines could lead to setbacks and other challenges.

Court Order Modifications

The family courts in Georgetown, TX, recognize that modifications are sometimes appropriate. Either party to a custody or support order can ask the court to modify an existing family court order. Around 22% of Georgetown’s population is under 18, and modifications seeking new custody terms are common. 

The party seeking the modification carries the burden of proof and must show that there has been a significant change in circumstances that makes a modification necessary. One example could be a situation where one parent has moved farther away. This could make the current visitation schedule untenable. 

If the court accepts a modification case, the other party must be notified and allowed to participate in the process. Judges examine the evidence and hear legal arguments from both parties before issuing rulings. Once a judge signs a new order, it becomes effective immediately and can be enforced through the court.

Must-Know Local Court Information

Family law cases for Georgetown residents are handled in Williamson County and filed with the Williamson County District Clerk at the Williamson County Justice Center, located at 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Street. The office accepts filings related to divorce, child custody, child support, and other family law matters.

The District Clerk’s office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Financial transactions are not accepted after 4:30 p.m. The clerk’s staff cannot provide legal advice, prepare pleadings, or supply divorce or custody forms. Filings may be submitted electronically or in person, and cases are assigned to a specific court after acceptance.

Hearing dates are set up by the court administrator for the assigned district or county court. Copy fees are set by the county, with non-certified copies costing $1.00 for up to 10 pages plus $0.10 per additional page, and certified copies costing $1.00 per page.

Understanding High-Conflict Divorces

Divorces in Georgetown are either contested or uncontested. While contested cases are common, high-conflict divorces can prove particularly problematic. High-conflict cases are characterized by:

• Open hostility between the two parties
• Unwillingness to compromise on key issues
• Accusations of wrongdoing
• Repeated violations of temporary court orders
• Attempts to delay proceedings or obstruct the exchange of information
• Ongoing disputes that require frequent court intervention

The average home in Georgetown is valued at $421,639, and conflicts can arise over property division. Custody disputes are also commonplace in high-conflict divorces. With support from an experienced attorney, a high-conflict divorce can benefit from focused negotiation or litigation. In many cases, mediation could also help resolve long-standing disputes. It only takes one uncooperative party to derail a divorce, but there are options for resolving complex divorces.

Common Challenges Faced in High-Asset Divorces

The divorce process is never easy, but high-earning couples can face unique challenges. One common obstacle could involve accounting for the value of a large estate. If both spouses co-own a business, they will need to determine the company’s value. Possible methods for doing so could include:

• Asset-based valuation, which examines the company’s tangible and intangible assets
• Income-based valuation, focused on earnings, cash flow, and future income potential
• Market-based valuation, comparing the business to similar companies that have sold recently
• Analysis of ownership interests, including partnership shares or minority stakes
• Review of debts, liabilities, and contingent obligations tied to the business
• Use of financial consultants or business appraisers to support valuation conclusions

Transparency may be another issue. Both parties are required to make accurate financial disclosures during a divorce. If either side hides assets or misleads the court about their income, that could lead to inaccurate calculations during property division or when setting child support.

Resources

The courts have extensive resources and tools to compel either party to be honest about their assets and properties. A judge may be alerted to hidden assets when the other party brings the matter before the court. Signs that your spouse is hiding assets could include:

• Unexplained withdrawals or transfers from joint accounts
• Sudden changes in spending patterns or cash flow
• Missing, incomplete, or inconsistent financial records
• Delayed or evasive responses to requests
• Income that does not align with the spouse’s lifestyle
• Transfers of assets to friends, relatives, or business entities

If you are going through a divorce and own a large estate, look for legal representation from an attorney who has handled complex divorce cases. Legal representation can play a crucial role in making sure that the courts have accurate numbers and financial figures to work with.